Battery state of charge engine shut-off threshold based on predicted operation

ABSTRACT

A vehicle includes an engine; a fraction battery; and a controller or a battery control system having a controller. The controller is programed to respond to a predicted duration of charge sustaining operation for a drive cycle and a speed of the vehicle. When the predicted duration is greater than a predetermined duration and the speed is less than a speed threshold, the controller increases a state of charge threshold of the traction battery associated with triggering shut offs of the engine to reduce cycling of the engine during the drive cycle.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application generally relates to energy management for hybridvehicles.

BACKGROUND

A hybrid-electric vehicle includes a traction battery constructed ofmultiple battery cells in series and/or parallel. The fraction batteryprovides power for vehicle propulsion and accessory features. Duringoperation, the traction battery may be charged or discharged based onthe operating conditions including a battery state of charge (SOC),driver demand and regenerative braking.

SUMMARY

A vehicle includes an engine; a traction battery; and a controller. Thecontroller is programed to respond to a predicted duration of chargesustaining operation for a drive cycle greater than a predeterminedduration and a speed of the vehicle less than a speed threshold. Theresponse of the controller is to increase a state of charge threshold ofthe traction battery associated with triggering shut offs of the engineto reduce cycling of the engine during the drive cycle.

A method of operating a hybrid electric vehicle includes in response toa predicted duration of charge sustaining operation for a drive cyclebeing greater than a predetermined duration and a speed of the vehiclebeing less than a speed threshold, increasing by a controller a state ofcharge threshold of a fraction battery associated with triggering shutoffs of an engine to reduce cycling of the engine during the drivecycle.

A vehicle traction battery control system includes a controller. Thecontroller is programed to respond to a vehicle speed being than athreshold speed and an expected duration of charge sustaining operationbeing greater than a predetermined duration. The response of thecontroller is to increase a traction battery state of charge thresholdthat, when exceeded while an engine is on, triggers a command to shutdown the engine to reduce cycling of the engine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram of a hybrid vehicle illustrating typicaldrivetrain and energy storage components.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram of a battery pack controlled by a BatteryEnergy Control Module.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating a target SOCcomputation for vehicle operation based on electric power.

FIG. 4A is an exemplary graph that illustrates battery state of charge,vehicle speed and internal combustion engine operation in relation totime.

FIG. 4B is an exemplary graph that illustrates battery state of charge,vehicle speed and internal combustion engine operation in relation totime such that the internal combustion engine operation is adjusted tomaximize EV duration.

FIG. 5A is an exemplary graph that illustrates an internal combustionengine start point in relation to driver power demand, battery state ofcharge and vehicle speed.

FIG. 5B is an exemplary graph that illustrates an internal combustionengine shut-off point in relation to driver power demand, battery stateof charge and vehicle speed.

FIG. 5C is an exemplary graph that illustrates hysteresis between aninternal combustion engine starting point and shut-off point in relationto driver power demand, battery state of charge and vehicle speed.

FIG. 5D is an exemplary graph that illustrates an internal combustionengine shut-off point in relation to driver power demand, battery stateof charge and vehicle speed, such that an engine operational time isincreased to provide a greater charge to the battery.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating a target SOCcomputation for vehicle operation based on an available regenerativeenergy.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary graph that illustrates an internal combustionengine start point in relation to driver power demand, battery state ofcharge and an available regenerative energy.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating a grade-based targetSOC computation for vehicle operation.

FIG. 9A is an exemplary graph that illustrates battery state of chargeand internal combustion engine operation in relation to time and furtherin relation to vehicle speed or road grade.

FIG. 9B is an exemplary graph that illustrates battery state of chargeand internal combustion engine operation in relation to time and furtherin relation to vehicle speed or road grade, such that the internalcombustion engine operation is maximized to capture availableregenerative energy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to beunderstood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examplesand other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. Thefigures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggeratedor minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore,specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not tobe interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis forteaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the presentinvention. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand,various features illustrated and described with reference to any one ofthe figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or moreother figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustratedor described. The combinations of features illustrated providerepresentative embodiments for typical applications. Variouscombinations and modifications of the features consistent with theteachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particularapplications or implementations.

FIG. 1 depicts a typical plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle (PHEV) having apowertrain or powerplant that includes the main components that generatepower and deliver power to the road surface for propulsion. A typicalplug-in hybrid-electric vehicle 12 may comprise one or more electricmachines 14 mechanically connected to a hybrid transmission 16. Theelectric machines 14 may be capable of operating as a motor or agenerator. In addition, the hybrid transmission 16 is mechanicallyconnected to an internal combustion engine 18 also referred to as an ICEor engine. The hybrid transmission 16 is also mechanically connected toa drive shaft 20 that is mechanically connected to the wheels 22. Theelectric machines 14 can provide propulsion and deceleration capabilitywhen the engine 18 is turned on or off. The electric machines 14 alsoact as generators and can provide fuel economy benefits by recoveringenergy that would normally be lost as heat in the friction brakingsystem. The electric machines 14 may also reduce vehicle emissions byallowing the engine 18 to operate at more efficient speeds and allowingthe hybrid-electric vehicle 12 to be operated in electric mode with theengine 18 off under certain conditions. A powertrain has losses that mayinclude transmission losses, engine losses, electric conversion losses,electric machine losses, electrical component losses and road losses.These losses may be attributed to multiple aspects including fluidviscosity, electrical impedance, vehicle rolling resistance, ambienttemperature, temperature of a component, and duration of operation.

A fraction battery or battery pack 24 stores energy that can be used bythe electric machines 14. A vehicle battery pack 24 typically provides ahigh voltage DC output. The traction battery 24 is electricallyconnected to one or more power electronics modules 26. One or morecontactors 42 may isolate the traction battery 24 from other componentswhen opened and connect the traction battery 24 to other components whenclosed. The power electronics module 26 is also electrically connectedto the electric machines 14 and provides the ability to bi-directionallytransfer energy between the traction battery 24 and the electricmachines 14. For example, a typical traction battery 24 may provide a DCvoltage while the electric machines 14 may operate using a three-phaseAC current. The power electronics module 26 may convert the DC voltageto a three-phase AC current for use by the electric machines 14. In aregenerative mode, the power electronics module 26 may convert thethree-phase AC current from the electric machines 14 acting asgenerators to the DC voltage compatible with the traction battery 24.The description herein is equally applicable to a pure electric vehicle.For a pure electric vehicle, the hybrid transmission 16 may be a gearbox connected to an electric machine 14 and the engine 18 may not bepresent.

In addition to providing energy for propulsion, the traction battery 24may provide energy for other vehicle electrical systems. A typicalsystem may include a DC/DC converter module 28 that converts the highvoltage DC output of the traction battery 24 to a low voltage DC supplythat is compatible with other vehicle loads. Other high-voltage loads46, such as compressors and electric heaters, may be connected directlyto the high-voltage without the use of a DC/DC converter module 28. Thelow-voltage systems may be electrically connected to an auxiliarybattery 30 (e.g., 12V battery).

The vehicle 12 may be an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle inwhich the traction battery 24 may be recharged by an external powersource 36. The external power source 36 may be a connection to anelectrical outlet that receives utility power. The external power source36 may be electrically connected to electric vehicle supply equipment(EVSE) 38. The EVSE 38 may provide circuitry and controls to regulateand manage the transfer of energy between the power source 36 and thevehicle 12. The external power source 36 may provide DC or AC electricpower to the EVSE 38. The EVSE 38 may have a charge connector 40 forplugging into a charge port 34 of the vehicle 12. The charge port 34 maybe any type of port configured to transfer power from the EVSE 38 to thevehicle 12. The charge port 34 may be electrically connected to acharger or on-board power conversion module 32. The power conversionmodule 32 may condition the power supplied from the EVSE 38 to providethe proper voltage and current levels to the traction battery 24. Thepower conversion module 32 may interface with the EVSE 38 to coordinatethe delivery of power to the vehicle 12. The EVSE connector 40 may havepins that mate with corresponding recesses of the charge port 34.Alternatively, various components described as being electricallyconnected may transfer power using a wireless inductive coupling.

One or more wheel brakes 44 may be provided for decelerating the vehicle12 and preventing motion of the vehicle 12. The wheel brakes 44 may behydraulically actuated, electrically actuated, or some combinationthereof. The wheel brakes 44 may be a part of a brake system 50. Thebrake system 50 may include other components to operate the wheel brakes44. For simplicity, the figure depicts a single connection between thebrake system 50 and one of the wheel brakes 44. A connection between thebrake system 50 and the other wheel brakes 44 is implied. The brakesystem 50 may include a controller to monitor and coordinate the brakesystem 50. The brake system 50 may monitor the brake components andcontrol the wheel brakes 44 for vehicle deceleration. The brake system50 may respond to driver commands and may also operate autonomously toimplement features such as stability control. The controller of thebrake system 50 may implement a method of applying a requested brakeforce when requested by another controller or sub-function.

One or more electrical loads 46 or auxiliary electric loads may beconnected to the high-voltage bus. The electrical loads 46 may have anassociated controller that operates and controls the electrical loads 46when appropriate. Examples of auxiliary electric loads or electricalloads 46 include a battery cooling fan, an electric air conditioningunit, a battery chiller, an electric heater, a cooling pump, a coolingfan, a window defrosting unit, an electric power steering system, an ACpower inverter, and an internal combustion engine water pump.

The various components discussed may have one or more associatedcontrollers to control and monitor the operation of the components. Thecontrollers may communicate via a serial bus (e.g., Controller AreaNetwork (CAN), Ethernet, Flexray) or via discrete conductors. A systemcontroller 48 may be present to coordinate the operation of the variouscomponents.

A traction battery 24 may be constructed from a variety of chemicalformulations. Typical battery pack chemistries may be lead acid,nickel-metal hydride (NIMH) or Lithium-Ion. FIG. 2 shows a typicaltraction battery pack 24 in a series configuration of N battery cells72. Other battery packs 24, however, may be composed of any number ofindividual battery cells connected in series or parallel or somecombination thereof. A battery management system may have a one or morecontrollers, such as a Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) 76 thatmonitors and controls the performance of the traction battery 24. TheBECM 76 may include sensors and circuitry to monitor several batterypack level characteristics such as pack current 78, pack voltage 80 andpack temperature 82. The BECM 76 may have non-volatile memory such thatdata may be retained when the BECM 76 is in an off condition. Retaineddata may be available upon the next key cycle.

In addition to the pack level characteristics, there may be battery celllevel characteristics that are measured and monitored. For example, theterminal voltage, current, and temperature of each cell 72 may bemeasured. The battery management system may use a sensor module 74 tomeasure the battery cell characteristics. Depending on the capabilities,the sensor module 74 may include sensors and circuitry to measure thecharacteristics of one or multiple of the battery cells 72. The batterymanagement system may utilize up to N_(c) sensor modules or BatteryMonitor Integrated Circuits (BMIC) 74 to measure the characteristics ofall the battery cells 72. Each sensor module 74 may transfer themeasurements to the BECM 76 for further processing and coordination. Thesensor module 74 may transfer signals in analog or digital form to theBECM 76. In some embodiments, the sensor module 74 functionality may beincorporated internally to the BECM 76. That is, the sensor modulehardware may be integrated as part of the circuitry in the BECM 76 andthe BECM 76 may handle the processing of raw signals.

The BECM 76 may include circuitry to interface with the one or morecontactors 42. The positive and negative terminals of the tractionbattery 24 may be protected by contactors 42.

Battery pack state of charge (SOC) gives an indication of how muchcharge remains in the battery cells 72 or the battery pack 24. Thebattery pack SOC may be output to inform the driver of how much chargeremains in the battery pack 24, similar to a fuel gauge. The batterypack SOC may also be used to control the operation of an electric orhybrid-electric vehicle 12. Calculation of battery pack SOC can beaccomplished by a variety of methods. One possible method of calculatingbattery SOC is to perform an integration of the battery pack currentover time. This is well-known in the art as ampere-hour integration.

Battery SOC may also be derived from a model-based estimation. Themodel-based estimation may utilize cell voltage measurements, the packcurrent measurement, and the cell and pack temperature measurements toprovide the SOC estimate.

The BECM 76 may have power available at all times. The BECM 76 mayinclude a wake-up timer so that a wake-up may be scheduled at any time.The wake-up timer may wake up the BECM 76 so that predeterminedfunctions may be executed. The BECM 76 may include non-volatile memoryso that data may be stored when the BECM 76 is powered off or losespower. The non-volatile memory may include Electrical EraseableProgrammable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) or Non-Volatile Random AccessMemory (NVRAM). The non-volatile memory may include FLASH memory of amicrocontroller.

When operating the vehicle, actively modifying the way battery SOC ismanaged can yield higher fuel economy or longer EV-mode (electricpropulsion) operation, or both. The vehicle controller must conductthese modifications at both high SOC and low SOC. At low SOC, thecontroller can examine recent operating data and decide to increase SOCvia opportunistic engine-charging (opportunistic means to do this if theengine is already running) This is done to provide longer EV-modeoperation when the engine turns off. Conversely, at high SOC, thecontroller can examine recent operating data and other data (location,temperature, etc) to reduce SOC via EV-mode propulsion, reduced engineoutput, or auxiliary electrical loads. This is done to provide higherbattery capacity to maximize energy capture during an anticipatedregenerative braking event, such as a high-speed deceleration or hilldescent.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary flow diagram 300 illustrating a method ofmodifying battery management parameters when the battery has a low SOC.The change in battery management may increase vehicle operation based onelectricity alone or improve engine efficiency, or both. The figureshows a target SOC computation for vehicle operation based on electricpower. Historical data is input in block 302 in which the historicaldata includes a recent battery SOC or a battery SOC histogram, anauxiliary electric load, a vehicle speed, recent vehicle operation basedon electricity only, or driver behavior. The auxiliary electric loadsinclude a battery cooling fan, an electric air conditioning unit, abattery chiller, an electric heater, a cooling pump, a cooling fan, awindow defrosting unit, an electric power steering system, an AC powerinverter, and an internal combustion engine water pump. Also, presentand future data is input in block 302. The present data includes anauxiliary electric load and a vehicle speed. The future data includesestimated duration of vehicle operation based on electricity only androad grade also referred to as slope or changes in elevation. Relatingto road grade is the angle of inclination which is the angle between thelongitudinal plane of the vehicle and earth's horizontal plane. Theangle of inclination may be determined by multiple means including anoutput of an inclinometer or a combination of wheel speed sensor outputindicative of acceleration along a longitudinal plane of the vehicle andlongitudinal accelerometer output indicative of an acceleration alongthe longitudinal plane as affected by gravity.

An estimated duration of vehicle operation based on electricity only iscalculated in block 304. The estimated duration of vehicle operationbased on electricity only calculated in 304 and the battery SOC arecompared against a threshold values in block 306. If the estimatedduration of vehicle operation based on electricity only is less than afirst threshold and the battery SOC is less than a second threshold, atarget SOC is adjusted or a current limit is adjusted in block 308.

The adjustment of the target SOC may include an increase to a target SOCsuch that when an internal combustion engine (ICE) is operating, theoperation time may be increased or the energy output from the ICE may beincreased, or both. The increase in operation time or output energy maybe to support battery charging, thus allowing the battery to supplyelectrical energy for a longer duration when the vehicle operates onelectricity only (i.e., EV mode). Also, the energy generation may beoptimized based on a brake specific fuel consumption map of the ICE.This may result in greater fuel efficiency during the total vehicletrip.

FIG. 4A is an exemplary graph 400 that illustrates battery state ofcharge 404, vehicle speed 402 and internal combustion engine operation406 in relation to time. When the vehicle begins operation from astopped position, the vehicle acceleration may use battery power orpower from an internal combustion engine (ICE), or both. An example ofvehicle acceleration is shown during the time 410. After the vehicleaccelerated, it achieved a travel speed. The travel speed in thisexample is a vehicle speed in which the vehicle is capable of beingpropelled by electricity only. At this speed, typically, the battery SOCwill toggle around a target battery SOC having charging time periods 412in which the ICE is operating to charge the battery, and dischargingtime periods 414 in which the ICE is shut-off and the vehicle operationis by battery alone. For a consumer these short periods of EV-mode maydissatisfy the driver, as many hybrid vehicle consumers desire longperiods of EV operation.

FIG. 4B is an exemplary graph 420 that illustrates battery state ofcharge 424, vehicle speed 422 and internal combustion operation 426 inrelation to time 428 in which an internal combustion engine operation426 is adjusted to maximize EV duration. Here like in FIG. 4A, thevehicle is accelerated from a stop. But, after reaching the travelspeed, being a vehicle speed in which the vehicle is capable of beingpropelled by electricity only, a controller increases the SOC thresholdat which the engine shuts off such that the engine continues to chargethe battery and increase the battery state of charge 424. The vehiclemay operate the internal combustion engine (ICE) for a time 430 greaterthan a time 412, such that the ensuing electric vehicle only operationoccurs for a time 432 greater than a time 414. Also, the vehicle mayoperate the engine at a speed, a torque, and a fuel consumption ratethat maximizes power output with respect to the fuel consumption rate.The controller may choose an engine operating point based on data from abrake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) table, wherein the engineoperates at a fuel consumption greater than a minimum fuel consumptionthus increasing a current flowing from the generator to the battery.This may increase an engine operational hysteresis also referred to asjust a hysteresis to alleviate the typical engine cycling also referredto as toggling on and off around a typical battery SOC operating rangeor set point.

FIG. 5A is an exemplary graph 500 that illustrates an internalcombustion engine starting threshold 508 in relation to driver powerdemand 506, battery state of charge 502 and vehicle speed 504. For agiven vehicle speed and battery SOC, the graph shows the amount ofdriver-demanded power above which an engine start will occur. Forexample, when the battery SOC is low and vehicle speed is low, arelatively low amount of driver-demanded power is required to start theengine. When the engine is operating, the output power can be used todrive the wheels, to generate electricity via connection to generator,or to provide output to other auxiliary components.

FIG. 5B is an exemplary graph 525 that illustrates an internalcombustion engine shut-off threshold 510 in relation to driver powerdemand 506, battery state of charge 502 and vehicle speed 504. For agiven vehicle speed and battery SOC, the graph shows the amount ofdriver-demanded power below which the engine is shut off. For example,when SOC is high and vehicle speed is low, a relatively high level ofdriver-demanded power will allow the engine to shut off. When the engineis off, the vehicle can be propelled electrically or decelerated usingthe friction and regenerative brake system.

FIG. 5C is an exemplary graph 530 that illustrates hysteresis 512between an internal combustion engine starting point 508 and shut-offpoint 510 in relation to driver power demand 506, battery state ofcharge 502 and vehicle speed 504.

FIG. 5D is an exemplary graph 535 that illustrates a modified internalcombustion engine shut-off threshold 520 in relation to driver powerdemand 506, battery state of charge 502 and vehicle speed 504, whichresults in longer engine operation so that the battery may be chargedmore before entering EV-mode.

In contrast to the battery control method described in FIGS. 4-5, FIG. 6is an exemplary flow diagram 600 illustrating a method of modifyingbattery management at high SOC, in relation to a vehicle speed, in orderto ensure enough battery capacity to maximize energy capture during animminent regenerative braking event. The diagram shows a target SOCcomputation for vehicle operation based on an available regenerativeenergy. In block 602 a road load is calculated based on historical data.An example calculation is shown in equation 1

F _(loss,parasitic) =ma−mg sin θ−(F _(regen) +F _(friction))  (1)

in which, for a given point in time, m is the vehicle mass, a is thevehicle acceleration/deceleration, g is the gravitational constant, sinθ is a road grade factor, F_(regen) is the estimated force applied tovehicle deceleration from the regenerative brake system, andF_(friction) is the estimated force applied to vehicle deceleration fromthe friction brake system. For a given set of vehicle operation data,the parasitic forces acting on the vehicle can be estimated throughregressive data fitting or other means, as is known in the art. Analternative form of equation 1 is shown in equation 2

E _(loss,parasitic) =F _(loss,parasitic) d=E _(kinetic) −E _(grade)−(E_(regen) +E _(friction))  (2)

in which E_(loss,parasitic) is an energy loss associated with aparasitic force F_(loss,parasitic) over a distance d, F_(kinetic) is akinetic energy of the vehicle over the distance, E_(regen) is apotential regenerative energy capable of being captured over thedistance, and E_(friction) is a friction braking energy applied over thedistance. The distance d in equation 2 may be evaluated over a futureroute or alternatively can be at a point in time. When evaluatingequation 2 at a point in time, the use of current and historical datamay be used. For example, E_(kinetic) may be based on current vehiclespeed, E_(grade) may be based on current vehicle angle of inclination,while both and E_(regen) and E_(friction) may be based on historicaldata such as vehicle and ambient temperature, and a duration the vehicleis currently operating, and historical drive cycle data including roadgrade, vehicle kinetic energy, battery power, accessory load profiles,driver deceleration rates, and route patterns.

Also, at each point in time, a parasitic loss force, F_(loss,parasitic)may be expressed as shown in equation 3

$\begin{matrix}{F_{{loss},{parasitic},i} = {\frac{{0.5\; {mv}_{i}^{2}} - \left( {E_{{regen},i} + E_{{friction},i}} \right)}{d_{i}} - {m\; g\mspace{11mu} \sin \; \theta_{i}}}} & (3)\end{matrix}$

in which F_(loss,parasitic,i) is a road load force, m is vehicle mass,v_(i) is a velocity of the vehicle, d_(i) is a distance traveled over aduration, mg sin θ is an energy applied to the vehicle due to an angleof inclination evaluated over the distance and(E_(regen)+E_(friction))/d_(i) is regenerative energy over the distanceand a friction braking energy applied over the distance. TheF_(loss,parasitic) changes dynamically as the vehicle is operated. Also,F_(loss,parasitic,i) can be aggregated and analyzed by a vehiclecontroller to obtain a function describing a speed-dependent parasiticforce. The function obtained may be based on multiple methods includingbut not limited to regression analysis, linear interpolation, curvefitting, etc.

The driveline loss changes based on temperature changes along with otherfactors including changes in road surface, tire pressure and steeringangle. In block 604, available regenerative energy is calculated basedon current and future data along with the road load force calculated inblock 602. An example equation to calculate available regenerativeenergy for a given time period and road grade is shown in equation 4

E _(regen) =m∫v(dv)−mg∫v sin θ(dt)−F _(loss,parasitic) ∫v(dt)−∫F_(friction) v(dt)  (4)

in which E_(regen) is the anticipated or predicted regenerative energy,m∫v(dv) is the kinetic energy based on vehicle speed and vehicle mass,mg∫v sin θ(dt) is the force over a distance associated with the angle ofinclination and the mass of the vehicle, F_(loss,parasitic)∫v(dt) is thespeed dependent parasitic loss or drivetrain loss over a distance basedupon recent calculated road load losses or drivetrain losses, and∫F_(friction)v(dt) is an anticipated energy loss based on frictionbraking. An estimated change in battery SOC is determined based onE_(regen) from equation 2 in block 606. In block 608, the estimatedchange in battery SOC is compared with a maximum battery SOC minus thecurrent battery SOC. If the estimated change in battery SOC is greaterthan a maximum battery SOC minus the current battery SOC, then a targetSOC or current flow limit is adjusted in block 610. The adjustment ofthe target SOC may be a decrease of the target SOC such that currentflows from the battery to reduce the battery SOC. This reduction inbattery SOC makes capacity available in the battery for the anticipatedregenerative braking energy. If the target SOC is not reduced, theavailable regenerative energy would not be captured in the batterysystem.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary graph 700 showing the recommended discharge powerused by the vehicle controller to decrease battery SOC based on currentSOC and the anticipated energy capture during the anticipatedregenerative braking event. For example, 708 shows that when battery SOCis high and the anticipated regenerative energy is also high, thevehicle controller should reduce SOC via discharge power. The dischargecan be performed using EV propulsion or auxiliary electrical loads.

Similar to the speed-based method described in FIGS. 6-7, FIG. 8 is anexemplary flow diagram 800 illustrating a method of modifying batterymanagement at high SOC, in relation to a road grade, in order to ensureenough battery capacity to maximize energy capture during an imminentregenerative braking event. The diagram shows a grade-based target SOCcomputation for vehicle operation. In block 802 a location is determinedusing a computing system including a global positioning system. Alongwith the location, a route may be generated by the computing system ornavigation system. The computing system may include elevation data suchas topographical data for the route. But, due to changes in roadways anda possibility that the maps and topographical data may not be alwaysaccurate, the computer system may also utilize other sources includingGPS data or data from sensors in other vehicle systems including a wheelspeed sensor, a steering angle sensor and an atmospheric pressure sensor(MAP sensor) to determine elevation data. Also, data may include futuredata such as estimated duration of vehicle operation based onelectricity only and road grade. Here the road grade may be based on theangle of inclination further determined by multiple means including anoutput of an inclinometer or a combination of a wheel speed sensoroutput indicative of vehicle acceleration along a longitudinal plane ofthe vehicle and a vehicle longitudinal accelerometer output indicativeof an acceleration along the longitudinal plane as affected by gravity.In block 804, a probable trajectory is calculated. In block 806,assessment of the road grade along the current path is performed. Thisassessment may use topological data associated with the route or,alternatively, an output of a longitudinal accelerometer compared to achange in velocity based on an output from a wheel speed sensor may beused.

A potential or available regenerative energy is calculated in block 808.The vehicle speed and road load is determined in blocks 810 and 812. Therequired braking force and motor regenerative energy is determined inblocks 814 and 816. Based on factors including vehicle speed, road load,required braking force and motor regenerative energy, availableregenerative energy is calculated in block 818. Based on the availableregenerative energy, a corresponding change in SOC is calculated inblock 820. The target battery SOC operating range or setpoint isadjusted in block 822. In block 824, the controller discharges thebattery by either keeping the engine shut-down longer while in EV-modein order to use more battery energy for EV operation, or by reducing theengine output power and/or duration if the engine is running in order touse more battery energy for combined (hybrid) operation. In block 826,the actual regenerative energy is compared to the expected regenerativeenergy, and the request is modified if appropriate. For example, if theengine is running but the controller has reduced its output based onanticipated regenerative energy, the engine output can be increased ifthe regenerative energy collected is less than expected, or decreasedfurther if the regenerative energy collected is more than expected.Similarly, if the vehicle is in EV-mode because the controller wastrying to deplete the battery faster to accommodate the expectedregenerative energy collection, but the regenerative energy is less thanexpected, then the controller may choose to start the engine to augmentbattery charging or supplement electrical loads.

FIG. 9A is an exemplary graph 900 that illustrates vehicle elevation902, a battery state of charge 904, and internal combustion engineoperation 906 in relation to time. At a point in time 910, the internalcombustion engine (ICE) is operating to provide power to propel thevehicle on a flat road at a velocity and maintain the traction batteryat a battery state of charge (SOC). When the vehicle traverses adownhill slope, energy from the powertrain is converted to electricityand flows to the traction battery increasing the battery SOC. At a pointin time 912, the battery SOC crosses a stop engine threshold thattriggers the engine to shut-off. The battery SOC may continue toincrease because of current from the powertrain attributed toregenerative braking. However once the battery SOC reaches a maximumoperational SOC, additional energy available from braking whiletraversing the downhill grade 914 will not be stored in the battery. Inthis exemplary graph, element 902 is illustrating vehicle elevation, butelement 902 may be used to illustrate vehicle speed, or a combination ofvehicle speed and elevation. An alternative way to view element 902 is achange in energy state of the vehicle, such as changes in vehiclekinetic energy or vehicle potential.

FIG. 9B is an exemplary graph 920 that illustrates vehicle elevation922, a battery state of charge 924, and internal combustion engineoperation 926 in relation to time. At a point in time 930, the internalcombustion engine (ICE) is operating to provide power to propel thevehicle on a flat road at a velocity and maintain the traction batteryat a battery state of charge (SOC). As an alternative to FIG. 9A, avehicle or battery management system may reduce the target battery SOCsuch that potential regenerative energy may be captured. Here, thepotential regenerative energy is expressed in equation 3 with currentkinetic energy and current potential energy. The current kinetic energyis based on vehicle speed and vehicle mass, and the current potentialenergy is based on the road grade being associated with the angle ofinclination. The potential regenerative energy is also based on thepowertrain losses as determined by historical data. The result would bethat a target SOC, or in an alternative an engine shut-off thresholdSOC, may be reduced by the potential regenerative energy. Further,historical drive cycle data including historical driver braking,historical deceleration rates, historical auxiliary load usage, batterylife, or the efficiency of converting kinetic and potential energy toelectric energy may be used to adjust the potential regenerative energy.In this exemplary graph, element 922 is illustrating vehicle elevation,but element 922 may be used to illustrate vehicle speed, or acombination of vehicle speed and elevation. An alternative way to viewelement 922 is a change in energy state of the vehicle, such as changesin vehicle kinetic energy or vehicle potential.

If future information is known, such as a future route based ontopographical information, future changes in elevation, future auxiliaryload usage, or a future recharge event, the potential regenerativeenergy calculation may include this information. The knowledge of afuture speed and a future road grade along a future route allows apredicted kinetic energy and predicted potential energy to bedetermined. For example, an engine normally shut off at point 928 may beshut off at point 932 based on knowledge of a future downhill slope 934.This may be due to a reduction in the engine stop threshold. Once theengine is turned off at 932, the vehicle is then operated by electricityonly and the battery SOC decreases due to the current flowing from thebattery to the vehicle. The decrease in SOC is shown by element 936.When the vehicle traverses the downhill slope 934, the energy fromregenerative braking allows the vehicle to flow a current to the batterythus increasing the battery SOC 938. Also, based on historical driverbraking or historical deceleration rates, the efficiency of convertingkinetic and potential energy to electric energy may be used to adjustthe potential regenerative energy. It may be beneficial to adjust thevehicle speed in relation to the slope. For example on a steep incline,it may be beneficial to reduce the vehicle speed. However in a vehiclewith a cruise control module or an adaptive cruise control module, orbased on customer feedback, operation at a constant velocity may providea better driving experience for the operator and passengers. As such,the vehicle may be required to adjust for constant velocity operation orin the case of an adaptive cruise control module, a separation distancewith the tracking vehicle may be adjusted in anticipation of changes ina speed of the tracking vehicle.

The processes, methods, or algorithms disclosed herein can bedeliverable to/implemented by a processing device, controller, orcomputer, which can include any existing programmable electronic controlunit or dedicated electronic control unit. Similarly, the processes,methods, or algorithms can be stored as data and instructions executableby a controller or computer in many forms including, but not limited to,information permanently stored on non-writable storage media such as ROMdevices and information alterably stored on writeable storage media suchas floppy disks, magnetic tapes, CDs, RAM devices, and other magneticand optical media. The processes, methods, or algorithms can also beimplemented in a software executable object. Alternatively, theprocesses, methods, or algorithms can be embodied in whole or in partusing suitable hardware components, such as Application SpecificIntegrated Circuits (ASICs), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs),state machines, controllers or other hardware components or devices, ora combination of hardware, software and firmware components.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended thatthese embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims.The words used in the specification are words of description rather thanlimitation, and it is understood that various changes can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Aspreviously described, the features of various embodiments can becombined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not beexplicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments couldhave been described as providing advantages or being preferred overother embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one ormore desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the artrecognize that one or more features or characteristics can becompromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which dependon the specific application and implementation. These attributes mayinclude, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life cyclecost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability,weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, embodimentsdescribed as less desirable than other embodiments or prior artimplementations with respect to one or more characteristics are notoutside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particularapplications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle comprising: an engine; a fractionbattery; and a controller programed to, in response to a predictedduration of charge sustaining operation for a drive cycle being greaterthan a predetermined duration and a speed of the vehicle being less thana speed threshold, increase a state of charge threshold of the tractionbattery associated with triggering shut offs of the engine to reducecycling of the engine during the drive cycle.
 2. The vehicle of claim 1wherein the state of charge threshold is greater than a sum of apredicted change in battery state of charge and a minimum state ofcharge.
 3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is furtherprogrammed to, while operating the engine to charge the tractionbattery, increase a fuel consumption of the engine to increase a currentprovided to the traction battery.
 4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein thestate of charge threshold is based on a maximum capacity of the tractionbattery and an ambient temperature.
 5. The vehicle of claim 1, whereinthe controller is further programmed to increase the state of chargethreshold by an amount based on losses associated with the engine. 6.The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the losses are based on a duration ofthe drive cycle.
 7. A method of operating a hybrid electric vehiclecomprising: in response to a predicted duration of charge sustainingoperation for a drive cycle being greater than a predetermined durationand a speed of the vehicle being less than a speed threshold, increasingby a controller a state of charge threshold of a traction batteryassociated with triggering shut offs of an engine to reduce cycling ofthe engine during the drive cycle.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein thestate of charge threshold is greater than a sum of a predicted change inbattery state of charge and a minimum state of charge.
 9. The method ofclaim 7 further comprising, while operating the engine to charge thetraction battery, increasing a fuel consumption of the engine toincrease a current provided to the traction battery.
 10. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the state of charge threshold is based on a maximumcapacity of the traction battery and an ambient temperature.
 11. Themethod of claim 7 further comprising increasing the state of chargethreshold based on losses associated with the engine.
 12. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the losses are based on a duration of the drive cycle.13. A vehicle traction battery control system comprising: a controllerprogramed to, in response to a vehicle speed being less than a thresholdspeed and an expected duration of charge sustaining operation beinggreater than a predetermined duration, increase a traction battery stateof charge threshold that, when exceeded while an engine is on, triggersa command to shut down the engine to reduce cycling of the engine. 14.The system of claim 13, wherein the expected duration is based onhistorical data including auxiliary electric load profiles, electriconly operational profiles, vehicle speed profiles, vehicle power demandprofiles, or battery power profiles.
 15. The system of claim 13, whereinthe controller is further programmed to, while operating the engine tocharge a traction battery, increase a fuel consumption of the engine toincrease a current provided to the traction battery.
 16. The system ofclaim 13, wherein the traction battery state of charge threshold isbased on ambient temperature.